Accelerated Schools Project, a school reform program based at
the Neag School of Education, has been endorsed and adopted
by New American Schools, the nation's leading authority on research-bas
ed comprehensive school reform approaches.

New American Schools is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization
established in 1991 by national business and education leaders
under a directive by the Bush Administration to overhaul the
public education system. The group is dedicated to shaping and
driving a growing comprehensive school reform movement and finding
new ways to raise student achievement dramatically. Since its
inception, hundreds of reform designs have been examined and
tested, while the group determined which ones to adopt and promote.
Accelerated Schools Project becomes only the 10th program endorsed
by New American Schools.

"We are very pleased to be accepted into the New American Schools
portfolio of design teams," says Gene Chasin, director. "It
is an endorsement of our success in improving schools and raising
student achievement levels in schools throughout the United
States and in four foreign countries. We are honored to be included
in this highly regarded group."

"New American Schools is known as one of the leading school
reform organizations in the country," says Richard Schwab, dean
of the Neag School of Education. "Its endorsement not only recognizes
the achievements and potential of Accelerated Schools Project,
it opens the door for receiving increased grant support."

Accelerated Schools Project is known for bringing all students,
particularly those at risk, into the educational mainstream
by the end of elementary school. By using accelerated learning
and enrichment strategies instead of remedial instruction, under-achiev
ing students eventually perform at levels appropriate to their
age group, rather than falling farther behind through the slowed-down
remedial process. The Accelerated Schools Project approach is
currently in use at more than 700 schools in 41 states and four
other countries.

"They have undergone a rigorous review process that has demonstrated
the highest standards for their design, and we are pleased to
endorse the Accelerated Schools Project as one of our comprehensive
school reform designs," says Mary Anne Schmitt, president, New
American Schools.

Since no one design fits all schools, New American Schools offers
an array of tried and true reform programs so communities are
able to choose the one which best suits their needs. These designs
reorganize an entire school around a road map or comprehensive
plan that results in higher student achievement, quality professional
development for teachers, principals and other school personnel,
greater parental and community involvement, and an improved
school environment.

The Accelerated Schools Project is designed to be a flexible
program for each school to emphasize the strengths and special
characteristics of each Accelerated school through a common
philosophical framework. Three guiding principles - unity of
purpose, empowerment with responsibility, and building on strengths
- are the foundation of all Accelerated schools. The schools
are also premised on nine values, and a system of governance
that encompasses the entire school community - faculty, administrators,
students, and parents. The program uses an enriched curriculum,
emphasizes language development, and focuses on problem-solving
and higher order analytical skills.

For the last 12 years, the Accelerated Schools Project has undertaken
and encouraged evaluation of its schools. The evaluations "have
shown that Accelerated Schools consistently raise academic achievement,
student attendance, and parental participation, and reduce
student turnover, special education placements, students retained
in grade, and teacher turnover," Chasin says.

Accelerated Schools Project joins a portfolio of other notable
school reform programs endorsed by New American Schools, including
Modern Red Schoolhouse, Outward Bound and Roots & Wings.